Mount Gilead Highway Patrol urges focused driving

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Staff report

Mount Gilead – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to keep their eyes and focus on the roadway while driving.

Last year 13,994 crashes in Ohio had a reported distraction, including 26 fatal crashes. From 2015 to 2016, the number of reported distracted drivers rose 5 percent over the previous year after rising 11 percent from 2014 to 2015.

“Every time someone takes their eyes or their off the road – even for just a few seconds – they put their lives and the lives of others in danger,” said Lt. G. S. Grewal, Commander of the Mount Gilead Post.

“Distracted driving is unsafe and irresponsible. In a split second, its consequences can be devastating.” Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field when traveling at 55 mph. Ohio law bans all “electronic wireless communication device” usage for drivers under 18. Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers, as a secondary offense.

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity with the potential to distract a person from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. Distractions can be visual, taking eyes off of the road; manual, taking hands off the wheel; or cognitive, taking the mind off driving. Texting while driving is an example that results in all three types of distraction. For more distracted driving facts please visit http://statepatrol.ohio.gov/doc/Distracted_Driving_Bulletin_2017.pdf